Chelsea’s chat came through late on a Wednesday afternoon: “Hi, I’m 23 weeks pregnant and have plans to visit my family in a different state this holiday season. My sister just had a baby and is breastfeeding, and my grandparents will also be there, so I want to be as safe as possible with COVID-19 still spreading. What do you think I should do?”
With Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa all quickly approaching, questions like this are coming into our chat service more frequently. We’re living in a new normal, and in the midst of rising COVID-19 case counts throughout much of the country, we’re all trying to figure out the safest way to celebrate with our loved ones this year.
I told Chelsea there were many individual factors that go into a decision like hers, but we could go over a few guiding principles to help her make an informed choice.
Stay Home When Possible
Staying local and celebrating in-person only with other members of your household is the safest approach this year. This is especially true for pregnant individuals, who the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) considers a group that is at “increased risk of severe illness” from COVID-19. While celebrating in such small numbers is certainly not how any of us want to spend the holidays, it’s the best way to keep everyone safe. And if someone from outside of your immediate family really wants to join in on the fun – virtual get togethers are a great option!
Preparing to Travel
If it’s not possible for you to stay home, then prepare, prepare, prepare! One of the most important things individuals can do this holiday season is prepare for their trip ahead of time. Most importantly, this means taking precautions to limit your own exposure to the virus that causes COVID-19 for 14 days before you plan to depart. This may include things like less frequent trips to the grocery store, keeping kids home and socially distancing them from their friends, working remotely when possible, and avoiding any pre-holiday gatherings. If you have to go on an important outing (such as a prenatal visit), keep in mind the prevention basics: wash your hands, maintain distance, and wear a mask.
Getting tested for COVID-19 is another way to reduce risk prior to gathering. This is especially important to do if you develop any symptoms that could be COVID-19 (fever, cough, shortness of breath, loss of taste or smell, etc.). The test itself is not perfect and any interaction you have after the test is completed would put you at risk of exposure again, but for some families having a negative COVID-19 test can be a helpful tool in the preparation toolbox.
Choosing how you travel will also be important this year. Driving to your destination is one way to limit your exposure to others and reduce the risk of getting sick in transit. If you have to fly, take a bus, or get on a train, you will likely be surrounded by many other people, which is more of a potential risk. Get your hand sanitizer and mask ready if you have to go this route!
One other important thing you can do before traveling? Get a flu shot (ideally at least 14 days ahead of time)! While it won’t protect you from COVID-19, it will help prevent the flu, which can be serious for pregnant women. It will also help keep you from needing medical care, which is important since some communities are reaching max capacity in their hospitals and may not have room to admit you for treatment.
Think about Grandma
Next, you want to think about who you will be traveling to see. We know that certain individuals are more likely to get very sick and/or die from COVID-19. This includes older adults (with risk increasing with age) and those with underlying medical conditions such as type 2 diabetes, severe obesity, cancer, or pregnancy. Chelsea’s grandparents were in their late 80’s, and her grandma was also a smoker. She also had her new nephew to think about, and her sister who was breastfeeding. What seemed like a simple family gathering quickly became a lot more complex when everyone’s health was assessed.
If you have a high-risk individual in your family, it’s important that you consider their health when planning holiday travel. For some families, this may mean making the decision to break the wishbone virtually over FaceTime or Zoom. For others, it could mean a strict 14 day quarantine for all who will be gathering (discussed above) before any interactions take place.
Celebrating Safely
Whether Chelsea chooses to travel or stay close to home during the holidays, she can reduce the chance of coming into contact with the virus by continuing to take precautions while celebrating with others. Limiting activities to people in your own household obviously presents the least risk since you’re already together anyway. But if you do host or attend gatherings with others, keep in mind that smaller groups in outdoor spaces where everyone wears a mask, stays at least 6 feet apart, and practices good hand hygiene is a much safer option than attending large indoor gatherings where not everyone wears a mask or follows other common sense precautions. Your decision to spend time around others should also consider the current spread of COVID-19 in the community where you live or where you will be traveling. I encouraged Chelsea to check the state department of health website for guidelines and recommendations for her destination.
What would a holiday celebration be without FOOD? You can still enjoy your favorite pregnancy-safe foods and beverages (no soft cheeses! no alcohol!), but you want to do what you can to reduce the chance of contact with any foodborne germs. Even though the chance of getting COVID-19 from contact with food or serving utensils is probably low, it’s important that everyone wash their hands before preparing, serving, or eating food. Having only 1 or 2 people serve the food to everyone else while wearing a mask is a better choice than having lots of people handle the serving utensils or food containers. As yummy as potlucks or buffets can be, at least for this year it might be safer if each guest brings food and drinks for themselves and their own household members only, or picks up ready-to-serve items. In addition, since people clearly can’t be masked and eat at the same time, plan ahead and get creative to create space between people when they sit down to eat – this year is definitely not the time to pile 12 people around a 6-person table! And as always, be sure that hot items are consumed hot, and cold items are consumed cold – no one wants a food-borne illness like E.coli or salmonella!
When the Party’s Over
After attending any gatherings (even small ones) or staying with relatives, Chelsea will need to pay attention to any symptoms that could suggest possible COVID-19 infection. If she, or anyone else she spent time with, has symptoms or tests positive for COVID-19, she should contact her healthcare provider right away about testing and/or follow any instructions from her local health department. She will most likely need to self-isolate at home for 14 days. In addition, she should contact her hosts as soon as possible to let them know, so they can inform other guests and family members that they might have been exposed to the virus. Not fun, but a necessary part of helping keep us all healthy and safe throughout the holiday season.
Chelsea has a lot to consider this holiday season, as we all do. For more tips on celebrating safely during the holidays, visit the CDC’s website on COVID-19 and holiday celebrations. And for more information about COVID-19 and pregnancy and breastfeeding, see our MotherToBaby fact sheet. However you choose to celebrate, we wish you a happy and healthy holiday season!
